Sister Game
by Immortal Star
Summary: What if Tinga survived the treatment? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus in later chapters.(Chapter *11* up 11-02-02)
1. The case of Case

**__**

Sister Game

Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L T/C, cure for the virus eventually.

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love (Hey, the Netherlands is just at that episode...)

A/N: I just had an idea popping up while watching three of my S1 taped episodes (Guess which ones?).

A/N 2: My medical facts are very bad, but I'll try my best. I don't know Tinga's age but I'm going by the fact that she is the second oldest of the X5, that would make her around 23, same with Case, I am kinda thinking of making him 3/4 years old. I think 4, since he went to 'school'.

A/N 3: Yes, an cure for the virus in later chapters, laugh about how I'm making this story an big thing of Romance, action and well, everything.

Important: I want an Beta-reader! If you want to do it, leave it in the review!

****

Chapter 1 - Case of Case

__

Gillette, Wyoming 2020

"How is X5-656?" Renfro asked. She looked at the bed, holding the X5 in restraints.

"Her condition is constant Ma'am." The doctor answered.

"Tell me if there are any changes." He nodded and she left the room.

"Ready to go?" Tinga nodded. He pulled of the restraints, and she jumped out of bed.

"Thanks Victor." Victor smiled.

"Just go and have an happy life, and I will try to help Max too." Tinga smiled. He opened the window and she jumped through.

"Are you sure the X7 are training now?" She asked doubtfully.

"I'm sure, and I drugged their food this morning, so if you happen to run into them, they'll not react as fast as they should. So, go!"

~~~~~~

__

3 Months later

Charlie let out an deep sigh, while looking out of the window. The rain poured down, and he didn't notice.

"Daddy? Why are you sad?" Case's voice sounded. Charlie turned around, looking at his son. The little boy was staring at him with widened eyes. _Penny - No, Tinga's eyes._ He corrected his silent thought. Case was still looking at him, expecting an answer.

"Nothing Case, now go back to bed." He finally replied.

"Can't sleep, I want an story." Case pleaded. Charlie feigned an smile and stood up. His muscles ached from the pain of sitting in the same position for hours, and he didn't notice. Case headed towards his room and he followed.

Case literally jumped onto his bed, and the wood nearly cracked under the impact. He dove under the blanket and waited.

"So, what story do you want to hear?" _Now where do I remember this from? _He asked himself.

"Mommy's story." _Now why did he have to ask that story?_ He silently fumed.

  
"Once upon a time, there was an princess. She lived in an big castle with all her brothers and sisters. But, an evil king also lived in the castle. He did bad things to them, and one day they ran-" He was interrupted by Case.

"You forgot the names." _Great, just great_. He tried to recall some memories, where Tinga had talked about her brothers and sisters. The memories were painful, even after all these months.

~*~

They both were looking at an lake, the only beautiful one left since the pulse. It was even more beautiful with woman standing next to him.

"Why haven't I seen anyone of your family yet?" Tinga looked up, smiling.

"They are all in Europe and I lost the book with their addresses." Her eyes saddened a little. Charlie only had one more question.

"You told me one of your sisters died, who is it?" Tinga now blinked.

Her name was Eva, she died in a shooting at nine years." An tear made it's way down her face, and he rubbed it of with his thumb.

If this is too hard to talk about." She nodded.

"Then don't." He whispered. A mall smile formed upon her face.

"Charlie?" He looked up.

"I'm pregnant." His breath stopped for an moment. He looked at her in shock.

"You mean that?" She nodded. He pulled her into an hug, but applied a little too much pressure, and they both landed into the water. He didn't care, and pulled her into an kiss.

~*~

"Daddy, the names?" Case looked at him quizzically.

"Oh, yeah, the names, well they were.." He found himself interrupted again, but not by Case.

"Max, Eva, Zack, Zane, Jondy, Syl, Krit, Ben, Brin, Jack and the princess's name was Tinga." _That voice, it sounds so familiar, it couldn't be. _He turned around. And there she was, sitting in the window, the moon beaming down on her long black hair.

"Tinga." He whispered. 

And she nodded.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Suspense.... Like it? Please leave an review if you did!


	2. Sorting it all out

**__**

Sister Game

-She shouldn't have. But she did, and wether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sister back

Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love

A/N: I'm using an Dutch song which I translated into English. It fits this chapter perfectly, and I hope you like it! And, yes, the M/L will come, but let's focus on Tinga and Charlie a little more before I attempt an post-virus chapter aiight? I'm pretty much having an muse, and I'll tell you, I'm going to write till it dies. It's so much fun to write T/C, since their relationship hasn't really been explored on the show, now I'm making it up!

Still lookin' for a beta, leave it in the review if you want to.

~*~ Means Flashback.

Things in _italics_ are thoughts, and if they're in between ~*~ it's an flashback.

~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.

****

Chapter #2 - Sorting it all out

Charlie closed his eyes, then opened them again. They weren't betraying him. There, sitting in the window, was Tinga, her long hair tied into an ponytail swinging down her back. It was as if she'd dropped out of the sky, like an ray of sun.

Their eyes locked for an moment, and an smile crept upon Charlie's face. He jumped up, nearly tripping over his own feet.

Tinga jumped into the room, her heart pounding loudly. She was home, after two long months. Two months of tracking, hoping and praying. Praying for this moment.

As Charlie's lips locked with hers, the rest of the world was forgotten. It was only them, no one else involved.

****

In one second, sunlight came through the clouds.

As they pulled apart, they both looked at each other in amazement. Finally Charlie spoke.

"How?" Was all he could get out.

"I don't know Charlie, I don't know..." Tinga answered.

"But the phone call, you were...-"

"-Dead? I was supposed to be but, some one got my heart working again, and the rest is all fog." _Fog I want to clear._

"Mommy!" As if Case just noticed, he jumped out of his bed, the wood cracking under the impact. Tinga kneeled, holding her arms open. Case ran into them, and she pulled him into an big hug.

"You're okay." It was an whisper, but it was all she could do to soothe the nerve-eating feeling that had been there ever since she'd left him behind with Charlie. She looked up to Charlie, tears wetting the corners of her eyes.

"I missed you so much, don't you dare to disappear on me like that again!" Her voice didn't hold any trace of anger, it was more an mix between joy and sadness.

"Blame it on your family, they feigned all the ID's, and thought of the names."

"Alan Ating, why do I get the idea you made up your own last name?" Tinga asked, standing up.

"How about we discuss this all over some ice cream?" _Just like the old days._

Tinga seemed to be remembering this too. The ice-cream tradition had started long ago, before Case was even born.

~*~

"Can you now explain me why you disappeared for 3 weeks, without even leaving any trace?" Charlie asked Tinga. They were sharing an box of Chocolate ice cream, both taking turns to dig their spoons into it.

"I told you, I had an family emergency." Tinga was hoping she didn't sound to desperate, hoping he would believe.

"But why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't have time, I had to get there pronto." Her inner voice was begging him to believe her. His eyes told her he didn't, but he didn't push any more. It had happened before, that she'd disappeared without leaving anything behind to tell him. And they always made up over ice-cream.

~*~

"Ice cream?" Case asked, excited.

"No hun, you got to go to bed, you've been staying up way to long." _How did I live without this? _Tinga asked herself, as she helped her son into bed. After giving him an kiss, she looked at Charlie.

"Let's grab an box, shall we?

****

One second with you is more beautiful than an decade alone.

They both sat on the couch, eating the box of ice-cream in silence. Finally, Charlie came up with an question.

"You said they got your heart working again, but I mean, you were never dead." Tinga's eyes filled with tears, as she remembered the day she died.

~*~

It was all pressing against her. And still she managed to breath. Her sight was foggy, she could barely make out the movement going on below her.

And suddenly, all the pressure was gone, she was falling. Arms around her, making her shake. Sobs filled the silence.

"Tinga." Maxi, it was Maxi. But then the arms left her. She heard an yell, and then... nothing.

~*~

"They were running tests on me, I don't know what kind, it was all so scary. Sometimes it hurt, and sometimes I felt nothing." Sadness filled her voice as she spoke these words. Charlie sensed her mood change. He lay an arm around her.

"When you told me about... you know, I thought about grabbing Case and leave. But after you went back to that place, I mentally kicked my own ass for thinking such an thought. My life was so... empty without you." Tears slid down his face.

How many times had he hoped Tinga would be knocking on the door? How many nights had he spent watching out of the window, sticking to the thought that she would be standing there, smiling at him?

"I should've told you, but I couldn't. I mean, I did tell you one time, but, you got that look in your eyes..." She trailed of.

"I must say I was freaked out when you told me, it all came so fast... First you disappear, and I get an phone call telling me your name is Tinga..."

"That was Max."Tinga interrupted

".... and then you appear again, and you drop the bomb about some secret government agency, Case gets an high fever and you have to turn yourself in for an cure. And all that time, my mind was an foggy place in my head, not thinking clearly." Charlie continued.

****

I was scared to love, and my heart was frozen.

But with your arms around my waist, I can take on the world.

"I know... I hate myself for letting you go through so much pain. I was scared to see you again, thinking you would hate me." Tears now made their existence fully known, as they stained her shirt.

"How could I hate you? Penny or Tinga, it doesn't matter, you're still the same person." Tinga looked at him, a spark of hope seen through all the tears.

"Tinga I love you, you know that."

"I... love you too Charlie, but I don't want to bring you in danger by staying with you." _Cause I might loose you again._

"I'm also the one to make decisions, and I don't care what dangers are involved, I can't lose you again." _My life will be so empty._

"But..." He silenced her with an kiss, tasting the sweet chocolate.

"It's okay..." He whispered.

****

Dancing on the stars, four seasons in one night.

This is one second without gravity.

Walking on water, seeing sun before it sets.

Flying without it wings.

All for you..

"I want to know if you're sure you want to stay with me, I lied to you." _Even thought it was needed I shouldn't have._

"Tinga, I want to stay with you for the rest of my life, through the darkest nights or the biggest fights, I'll never leave your side."

****

You tell me all your secrets, it's all I want to hear.

They were safe with me, but I share them with you.

My thoughts and my dreams, only focus on you.

I jump into the deep water - laughing, with my eyes closed.

Dancing on the stars, four seasons in one night.

This is one second without gravity.

"But I am an science project, an tool, how can you still love me?" She asked.

"Because you're also an human, my other half." _And two halves make one, Case._

They sat there in silence, not even eating ice cream.

****

Walking on water, seeing sun before it sets.

Flying without it wings.

All for you..

~*~

"Marry me." Tinga jumped up in surprise.

"Wha... What?!" Charlie, despite situation, chuckled.

"I'm asking you to marry me." For a minute she thought her eyes would pop out. He was standing there, holing the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. She felt like she couldn't say anything.

This is stupid soldier, STUPID, her inner self screamed. Then why was she bringing out this sentence?

"Yes, yes Charlie, I will marry you!"

~*~

****

Dancing on the stars, four seasons in one night.

This is one second without gravity.

Walking on water, seeing sun before it sets.

Flying without it wings.

All because of you.

"What are you remembering?" Charlie asked.

"The day you proposed to me." Charlie's face brightened.

"Fun?"

"You bet." She yawned, suddenly overcome by the exhaustion of driving non-stop.

"Let's go to bed."

"Do you have an single?"

"No, an double."

"Great." With that, she followed her husband to the room, grinning like an jolly fool.

Life was good.

****

One second with you is better, then an decade alone.

This is one second without gravity.

I feel safe with you, your arms around my waist.

All for you...

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

(A/N: That's like the longest chapter I've ever written!!!)


	3. Caught on camera

**__**

Sister Game

Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love

A/N: Here's a short one before I go eat my dinner which considers of an large amount of home-cooked Indian food (Mom, no one can cook like you, those Eggs just rule! And yes, I am still Dutch, but I enjoy some foreign stuff once in a while, I mean life isn't all Windmill, wooden shoe, cheese around here, I mean, I haven't seen an windmill in eight months, and wooden shoes? They're nice to hang over your bed, but wearing them... :-( )

A/N 2 : This takes place one week after 'Sorting it all out'. Some T/C, but mostly the beginning of the plot.

By the way, I'm going to keep asking, anyone want to be my Beta? I'm sorta desperate here, I need some one to clean up my mess of Grammar (Or whatever's left of it), lost commas and Out Of Character things. (Which I do a lot with Max and Logan...)

~*~ Means Flashback.

Things in _italics_ are thoughts, and if they're in between ~*~ it's an flashback.

~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.

****

Chapter #3 - Caught on camera

__

1 week Later

As Max walked into the penthouse, she started wondering why Logan was so hell-bent about her coming over. He'd sounded pretty anxious over the phone, telling her he'd gotten some hover-drone pictures she might wanted to look at.

"Hey." She said as she automatically walked into the computer room, keeping an safe distance.

"Hey to you too." He replied, looking up.

"You said you got something on my stuff." She immediately got to the point, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"Well, some hover drone pictures came through last night, Charlie's not in Canada anymore, but in Portland, once again." Max frowned. _Can't blame the guy for being homesick, but... _Her thought was interrupted by Logan.

"Except he was not alone..."

"And what do you mean by that?" Logan sighed and brought the pictures up. From the distance, Max immediately recognized Charlie and Case, but, there was some one else with them. As she recognized the woman, it took an few moments to bring out an word.

"Tinga." She whispered. Logan looked at her as if she'd gone paranoid.

"Max, Tinga's dead, you told me so."

"I... I don't know, I mean, I was dead, but they got me working again." She stared at screen once more, before turning around.

"Where are you going?" Logan asked, although he knew the answer.

"Portland, were else?" With that, she was out the door.

~~~~~~~~

**__**

At the same time - Portland.

Case scanned the huge crowd of people for his mommy. As he recognized her, he ran towards her.

She scooped him up in her arms, holding him tight.

"Mommy, look at what I made!" He held up an drawing which resembled an bird.

"It's beautiful sweetie." She said, observing the blue drawing.

"Mrs. Kaye said so too." She let go of him, stood up and took his hand.

"Let's go home." He nodded, holding the picture tightly.

Charlie approached from the back, holding out his hand to help her up.

"Princess, are you ready to be driven to your castle?" Tinga looked as if she were thinking.

"Let me think for an moment... The answer is yes, take me to your horse." Charlie frowned at that, but still led her to his car.

"Would an more modern horse do?" He asked, opening the door.

"As long as it comes with you, it'll do." She got into the car, and he closed the door. Case jumped into the backseat.

"Tighten your seatbelt." She said. Charlie climbed behind the steering wheel and started the car.

No one noticed the figure lurking in the shadows....

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

(A/N: Yes, it was short, but haven't I made you curious about the figure in the shadows? And Max and Tinga's reunion?)


	4. Never Ending Story

Sister Game  
  
-She shouldn't have. But she did, and wether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: And the game continues.... The Flashbacks pretty much are filled with Manticore.  
  
I want to thank my beta-reader JoJo, for weeding the crap out of this thing, and correcting my mistakes.  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
Things in italics are thoughts, and if they're in between ~*~ it's a flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #4 - Never ending story  
  
Tinga tucked Case in for the night, ignoring the sound of rain falling outside. So far it hadn't been dry for more then two hours, so it wasn't all that surprising that hell was breaking loose in the clouds.  
  
"Mommy, story." Tinga smiled.  
  
"Well, what story do you want to hear?" She said, pretty much already knowing the answer.  
  
"The story about the Princess, did anything happen to her family." Tinga nodded, and started talking.  
  
"The evil king used a trick to get her to the castle again..."  
  
~*~  
  
"What did he say?" Tinga asked.  
  
"He will give a cure for this if you turn yourself in." It was as if the world stopped at the end of the sentence. No one said anything for a long time, but finally Tinga spoke up.  
  
"Make the call."  
  
~*~  
  
"Bad things were done to her."  
  
~*~  
  
"Why isn't she responding?" The Blonde woman spoke.  
  
"She's a fighter." The technician fiddled with the keys a little more, and Tinga felt pain going through her body. She wanted to scream, but her vocal cords didn't respond. She'd never been this afraid before, but fear was going through her, as she looked down.  
  
~*~  
  
"Her brothers and sisters tried to help her out of the evil castle, only to be brought back themselves."  
  
~*~  
  
There was movement, she sensed it. Even thought her heart was taking it's last beats, she saw flashes of black moving around. The guy behind the controls was suddenly on the floor, and the flash of blackness moved on.  
  
'Break me out.', she silently begged. As if the flash heard her wish, shattering of glass was heard. Light filled her line of vision, she heard mumbles and sobs, but her heart took it's last beat.  
  
~*~  
  
"There was a slave of the king, who helped her run again."  
  
~*~  
  
She opened her eyes, staring straight into the face of a young doctor.  
  
"Stay, I'm going to help you out of here." Tinga wondered if this wasn't a trick.  
  
"How do I know if I can trust you?" The man smiled.  
  
"You don't." Was all he gave her, before leaving the room.  
  
~*~  
  
"After she ran away, she searched for her family."  
  
~*~  
  
"Have you got any clue where they moved to?" Tinga asked the elderly woman.  
  
"No, Penny, honestly, one moment they were her, the next moment they were gone." Tinga turned around and looked at her old home.  
  
~*~  
  
"Eventually she found them."  
  
~*~  
  
A small lamp dimly illuminated the small room. In front of the window shadows where moving Tinga caught a glimpse of the man's face and nearly choked on her breath.  
  
After all this time, they were in Portland. She started climbing up, smiling.  
  
~*~  
  
"And they were together once again."  
  
"Beautiful, just beautiful." A very welcomed voice said. Tinga spun around, finding her baby sister standing in the doorframe.  
  
"What, you don't like my stories?" She stated in a playful tone.  
  
"You always make things sound so happy, and, well...." Max stopped in the middle of her sentence as Tinga pulled her into a hug.  
  
"Maybe they are Maxie." Pulling apart Max observed the small room. Case was looking at them with widened eyes.  
  
"Let's continue this talk downstairs." Tinga said, gesturing towards the door. Max followed, smiling.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
A/N: Okay, I know people are ready to kill me for the non-action chapters, but I need to do these things... The reunion thing was HARD! Oh, and my reason for not posting so long? I had a vacation and a computer crash. 


	5. Sista to Sista

Sister Game  
  
-She shouldn't have, but she did, and wether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: Okay, My muse just hit me. Literally, it was standing there, smiling. "If you don't continue 'Sister Game' those M/L fans are going to scream." And then it hit me... Okay, okay.  
  
M/A=Evil. Flame me to death about this but M/A=EVIL!! *SCREAMS TO MAKE HER POINT CLEAR* I officialy have sworen off reading any M/A stories.  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
Things in italics are thoughts, and if they're in between ~*~ it's an flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #5 - Sista To Sista  
  
"You've reached the number you dialed."  
  
"Logan, it's me, found Tinga, had a blast. Stayin' there tonight. This is on her phone, and, well I better not keep it to long." Max hung up the phone, and was faced with an amused stare from Tinga.  
  
"You're not going to tell me that you two still haven't shacked up yet?" Max fell silent. Tinga looked at her baby sister, who was now staring at some spot in the wall, not wanting to answer.  
  
"What's wrong Maxie?"  
  
"We have, in some kind of way, yeah..." Was all she was willing to give.  
  
"Stop with the cryptic stuff, and get to the point." It came out harsher then she wanted it to be, but Max was finally able to look her in the eyes again.  
  
"It's a long story." Tinga nodded.  
  
"I have time." She took Max's hand and led her to the couch.  
  
"Now, talk."  
  
"It all started when I went into heat." Tinga frowned, and Max finally lightened up a little, just enough to let out a laugh.  
  
"No, that didn't happen." Tinga sighed in relief, and relaxed, sinking into the couch.  
  
"I basically used the old avoid all guys while in heat stratagy, till it got too much, and I took a spin on my baby." Tinga laughed at Max's care for the Motor cycle, but stopped when she was faced by a glare.  
  
"Met pizza guy, got a satisfy, and went home. Room-mate Cindy to the rescue, and at the end of this story I end up kissing Logan and Za... Zack interrupting." Max took a slight pause with Zack's name, and Tinga looked at her.  
  
"I must say this story is very interesting, but what happened during the raid?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Whenever you're ready..." Tinga said softly, putting a reassuring arm around her siser's shoulder.  
  
"It just hurts so much..."  
  
"Every memory hurts." Max nodded.  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore if we run or hide, the past always catches up with us." Tinga nodded, and they just sat there, each lost in their own thoughts.  
  
"How's Case doing." Max asked, after a few minutes of silence.  
  
"He's growing..." Tinga started, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
"It can't be Charlie he's got a late night shift..." There was another knock.  
  
"But no enemy would be stupid enough to knock..." Max whispered.  
  
"Go check on Case." Was all Tinga said before standing up, making sure her feet barely made any sound as they hit the ground. The knocking hadn't stopped yet.  
  
Max hurried up stairs, while Tinga silently walked up to the door.  
  
She suddenly opened it. The person standing in the door-way was the last person she'd ever think off.  
  
"Victor?"  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
A/N: And then, the annoying author left you hanging. With a short chapter, and a nice long sigh. 


	6. All in line

Sister Game  
  
-She shouldn't have, but she did, and wether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: Okay people, this took long, but, with a site down, and my fanals coming up, I believe there are enough reasons. But enjoy!  
  
I have no idea if Victor's position at Manticore was mentioned in Female Trouble (Now I do, Lab Tech. Okay, I'm twisting that). Neither do I know Jace's number, so she'll be referred to as 683.  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
Things in italics are thoughts, and if they're in between ~*~ it's an flashback.  
  
(Note:  
  
The italic thoughts have been deleted, and will now be written in a normal storyline way, Things between ~*~ are still flashbacks)  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #6 - All in line  
  
"Hey." Victor said, his voice hoarse. Tinga stared at him for another few seconds, before she was snapped back to reality by Max's voice.  
  
"I checked on Case, nothing's wro..." she stopped mid-sentence.  
  
"Who is that?" She asked.  
  
"Some one I thought was dead." Tinga answered cryptically. Max looked at the stranger, still not trusting his intentions, or why Tinga was not exactly on this planet.  
  
"And that would be?" She took a few steps towards the stranger.  
  
"Victor Carls." Max stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"As in Victor who knocked our sister up." Tinga said. Max gasped, and gave Victor with a more friendly look.  
  
"And what are you doing here?" She asked.  
  
"Nice to meet you too." He replied, before turning to Tinga.  
  
"I know you've both got a lot of questions, but can they be asked inside, where I won't have a lot of enemies to watch out for?" Tinga nodded, and stepped aside. Victor entered, and Max finally managed to say something.  
  
"How did you find us?" She asked. She was sure that she'd covered her tracks, using stolen sector passes and not attracting to much attention.  
  
"I traced Case's school records." Tinga gave herself a mental slap.  
  
"That's, uhh... Smart." She said. Victor grinned, and Tinga gestured for him to sit down on the couch. Max followed, amazed by the ease that he'd found Tinga, still, many questions remained. Tinga started with one.  
  
"Why did you track me down?" She asked. Max sat down one of the chairs, awaiting an answer.  
  
"Needed to know if you got out alright." He coughed a few times, and Max stood up.  
  
"I'll get you some water." She made her way to the kitchen, leaving Tinga and Victore alone.  
  
"Guess that's your baby sister." He said, smiling. Tinga chuckled, and nodded. She'd told Victor a lot about her brothers and sisters, trusting him blindly.  
  
~*~  
  
"And then there's baby sister, Maxie." She said softly.  
  
"452?" He asked softly. Tinga nodded, but stopped the action as pain went through her body.  
  
"She had a heart-transplant..." He said.  
  
"Maxie is at Manticore?" Tinga asked bewildred.  
  
"Several of your brothers and sisters attacked Manticore, two were caught. Max was dead, and when the re-animation process didn't work, 599..."  
  
"Zack." Tinga whispered.  
  
"Killed himself for her." Victor saw her eyes well up with tears.  
  
"Why?" She asked to no one.  
  
"I don't know..." He said.  
  
~*~  
  
"Yeah, that's Maxie alright." Max returned with a glass of water, setting it down on the table, she began with a question of her own.  
  
"How did you get with Jace?" Victor laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement.  
  
"It's a long story, and it starts with a rather stub-born X6..."  
  
=-=  
  
A/N: Okay, the next part is needed for certain reasons, it will include the relationship between Jace and Victor. 


	7. Glad we met

Sister Game -She shouldn't have, but she did, and wether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: This chapter takes a deep insight on Victor and Jace's relationship. Tell me in a review if I should get some V/J in this too. I'll be glad to do it.  
  
I was on vacation and tried to make this chapter as long as possible.  
  
Reviews please...  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
Things in italics are thoughts, and if they're in between ~*~ it's an flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #7 - Glad we met  
  
"I had to get this certain X6 to say her designation, but she'd just come back from a mission. At that time, I believed in what Manticore was doing." Victor started, looking slightly ashamed.  
  
~*~  
  
"My name's Jen." The voice echoed of the walls, Victor ran a hand through his hair. He was supposed to get this kid to listen to her designation again, whether she liked it or not. And she was.... not liking it.  
  
~*~ "She used rather deadly force to stop me." Victor told the two woman who were both listening with interest.  
  
~*~  
  
"Your desig..." He was forced to stop mid-sentence as he found himself pushed up against the wall, with a rather sharp knife to his throat.  
  
"Stuff the designation up your..." This time the X6 couldn't finish her sentence, as she was ripped away. The knife dropped onto the ground.  
  
~*~  
  
"Jace came in and stopped the girl, and got her to say her designation. I was bleeding..." Victor's hand automatically went up to his throat, where a scar had marked his skin forever.  
  
~*~  
  
"Look X6-347, if you want to harrass some one, fine by me, but don't go picking on some defenseless human." Victor looked up, staring at the most beautiful Chimera he'd ever seen in his three years of working at Manticore.  
  
"Now say yes 683." She tightened her grip around the X6's neck.  
  
'Yes 683." The girl said. The grip was loosened. The X6 quickly stood up.  
  
"What is your designation soldier?"  
  
"X6-347 sir!"  
  
"You're dismissed." Victor said, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the palm of his hand.  
  
~*~  
  
"Jace cleaned my wounds, against my will." Victor let a smile slip at the memory.  
  
~*~  
  
"You're bleeding." She said. He nodded.  
  
"I'll live." He replied, not really listening to the statement.  
  
"Let me help." She said, grabbing some things off the nearby cart.  
  
"No need to, ahh!" He stopped talking as she put a cloth with disinfectant against a wound on his arm.  
  
"Who left you alone with her?" She asked, still softly dabbing the wound.  
  
"Colonel Lydecker."  
  
"Musta lost his mind or something..." She stopped, realizing what she'd just said.  
  
"I won't tell him what you said." She gave him a small smile, before moving up to his neck.  
  
"Lift your head, yeah like that." She continued the process of cleaning his wounds.  
  
~*~  
  
"After that, we continued meeting." He chuckled at the memory. Max and Tinga shared looks, and listned to the story like small children.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey Jace." Victor said as Jace walked in. She gave him a small smile, before pulling the collar of his shirt down.  
  
"Your wound looks better." She said, observing it.  
  
"Thanks to my nurse." Victor replied, laughing.  
  
For a moment they sat in silence, and Victor felt a shiver go up his spine as he heard the marching of the X6's. The room was so cold... Manticore was cold.  
  
~*~  
  
"My faith in Manticore and it's goal was starting to crumble with every meeting I had with Jace, and I am quite sure hers was too."  
  
"But how did you two finally get together as in love birds?" Tinga asked.  
  
Victor sighed, and shook his head.  
  
"It all started with an accident, they hadn't figured out how to get the Heat Cycles out of the genetic codes of the X5's."  
  
A rather sad look from Max was the answer.  
  
"And the process of doing it is hell." She shivered at the memory, remembering the humming of all the machines and the cold sterile hands of the doctors.  
  
"Agreed." Tinga said, having experienced the long days of pain in cold rooms.  
  
Victor felt somewhat sorry for the two women, but despite his guilt he felt the need to continue his story.  
  
"One morning I was looking over some scribblings found in the basement. They were supposed to be important to Manticore, but they were barely readable, I had to figure out what they meant, I never got it done..."  
  
~*~  
  
As Jace walked into the small room, Victor aleady felt that something was wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, having been in the lab all morning, trying to decipher the scribblings on the piece of paper.  
  
His concentration melted, as the door closed.  
  
Jace licked her lips, and walked up to him. The room suddenly didn't feel cold anymore, but rather hot.  
  
Sweat dripped down his face.  
  
"Hey gorgious." He blurted out. The room seemed to disappear in a blur, his eyes only focused on Jace.  
  
"Hey Babe." Jace wrapped her arms around his neck, and nothing seemed normal anymore.  
  
~*~  
  
"Getting screwed in a small room in Manticore, original." Max commented.  
  
"What were those scribblings for?" Tinga asked, checking her watch. She knew Charlie would be comin home any time, and that he was going to be rather surprised.  
  
"I've been trying to remember that, but it's just not dawning on me, and it won't anytime soon." Victor answered.  
  
Max stood up and grabbed her coat. She didn't want to leave this soon, but she had work tomorrow and wanted to get home in time, not for her income's sake, but for Original Cindy.  
  
"I really should get going." She told her sister.  
  
Tinga nodded, and pointed at Victor.  
  
"You want to stay here tonight?" She asked.  
  
"Considering I haven't had any sleep in ages, yes please." He answered.  
  
Tinga opened the door to let her baby sister out.  
  
"I'll try to visit again on Sunday." Max told her.  
  
"Bring your boy along." Tinga replied.  
  
"Sure." With that, Max walked over to her motor cycle, twisted the keys and revved up the engine.  
  
"Take care!" Tinga shouted above the roaring of the engine.  
  
"You too!" Max replied. She pressed the pedal a few times and rode of into the dark night.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
A/N: I hope you liked this rather weird chapter. 


	8. Friday Night Out

Sister Game -She shouldn't have, but she did, and whether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: I have no excuse for the delay and hang my head in shame. Though I DID re-write this a total of five times. And it still came out as a piece of setting up things. Blah. And it's probably short too... Heh...  
  
Has anyone noticed that Max is the one who has been through the most in the petri-dish? I mean first Lydecker messes her up to look like his wife (Yuck..) Then Sandeman flies in and gives her no junk DNA... Makes you wonder what the hell can happen to yourself heh.  
  
I don't think I'll be able to update this week, my b-day is on Monday, and I have tons of family coming over...  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #8 - Friday Night out  
  
"You've reached the number you've dialed."  
  
Max sighed as she heard Logan's dull and monotone voicemail message.  
  
"Hey, it's me. I got back from Tinga's and wondered if you would come to Crash tonight. I need to talk to you about something." With that, she hung up. Sure, it was a little short, but she actually wanted to see the guy at least once a week.  
  
She returned to the table where her friends sat. Only a minute later she was in discussion with Cindy, about her least favorite topic ever since she'd returned from Manticore... Her hair.  
  
"I say you cut it short 'gain boo..."  
  
Max shook her head.  
  
"I don't see the point... Barber costs too much money anyways." She replied, hoping to shut Cindy up.  
  
But she should've known her friend wouldn't give up easily.  
  
"I could do it."  
  
"I trust you for a manicure, but my hair... It's like a cover."  
  
They'd had this conversation everyday since she gotten back from Manticore. Cindy insisted on cutting it back to it's previous length. Max trusted Cindy on a lot of things, but not on her hair.  
  
Just as Cindy was about to open her mouth to say something, Normal interrupted.  
  
"This is a workplace people, bip, bip, bip." He threw a package and Max caught it single-handedly.  
  
"Well, duty calls." She smirked. Getting up from her seat, she put the package in her bag after checking the address, and made her way over to the bike stand.  
  
She'd spent the last weekend on fixing up her bike, and apart from missing a handle on the right side, it seemed to be in good shape.  
  
She quickly pedaled her way out of Jam Pony, ignoring the rain that was coming down in sheets. ~~~~~~~~  
  
When Logan came home from his latest meeting with an informant, he noticed that the light on the answering machine was blinking. He pressed the rewind button, and then 'Play'. The first one came from Asha, and he grimaced.  
  
The second one was from one of his older informants, and he decided he'd have to double check the information later, in case he'd stepped over to the side of corruption.  
  
He turned to the kitchen to start preparing dinner, when he heard Max's voice. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to listen to her message.  
  
"... And I wonder if you would come to Crash tonight. I need to talk to you about something."  
  
Logan thought for a moment, and decided he would go to see what was up. He ate a sandwhich for dinner, and grabbed his coat to leave for Crash.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Crash  
  
Crash was busy as usual. From everywhere came loud noises, and the music blasted on it's loudest volume. It was not Logan's favorite place to be. He'd rather go for a nice calm night at home with a bottle of wine, then for a wild swinging club.  
  
Though, the fact that Max came here nearly every night made up for his dislike. He spotted her sitting at the bar talking to Sketchy and Cindy.  
  
He moved to where the gang was sitting, and made his presence known.  
  
"Hey." He said. Max looked up from her talking and greeted him with smile.  
  
"Hey to you too."  
  
Cindy looked at the two, before turning to Sketchy.  
  
"You wanna play?" She gestured at the pool table.  
  
He seemed to think several seconds, before finally finding out what she ment.  
  
"Why not..." Cindy grabbed his arm and dragged him to the pool table.  
  
Logan sat down on the stool Cindy had recently occupied, and an awkward silence followed.  
  
"You told me to come here..."  
  
"Yeah, wanted to tell you that everything went ok with Tinga."  
  
"Could've told me that over the phone too." Logan said, immediatly regretting his words afterwards.  
  
"Yeah... But I also said I'd drop by Sunday, she told me to bring you along..."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
Another silence came, as they just sat there watching the crowds moving in and out.  
  
Finally Max decided it was time she got an answer.  
  
"So, you comin' with me?"  
  
"Eh... Yeah sure." He suddenly found the dirty ground very interesting  
  
Max grinned and turned to the pool table, where Sketchy was obviously losing his match to Cindy.  
  
"Maybe I should join them..." Max said, feeling uncomfortable. Logan looked up and nodded.  
  
"Yeah.. You should." He said, standing up.  
  
"See you Sunday then?"  
  
"Deal."  
  
With that each of them went their own way.  
  
=-=  
  
A/N: I SHOULD be in recess now... But I kinda told him I had to go to the hairdressers hehe... 


	9. Radio, oh radio

Sister Game -She shouldn't have, but she did, and whether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Sue me, you'll get a broken Cell phone and smelly shoes.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: R.I.P Cell Phone... Loved ya.  
  
I'd actually like a few reviews for this one.. Yes I am begging... It is getting more interesting or so I hope! And I updated faster..  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #9 - Radio, oh radio  
  
Logan cringed at Max's choice of music, as the sounds of Linkin Park boomed through the car. It was a three hour drive to Portland, and so far, they'd only driven an hour.  
  
He sighed as he saw another checkpoint come up. The line of cars was long, and they'd probably be stuck for a half hour. Enough reason for him to change the music.  
  
Ignoring Max's glare as he pressed some of the buttons on his radio, he felt relief when he finally found a channel that didn't try to make him go deaf.  
  
"Hey, switch it back." Max said. He gave her a playful grin and sat back.  
  
"I'm not going to go deaf before we get to Tinga's."  
  
Max sighed in defeat, deciding not to argue with him. He always seemed to win arguments between them anyways. This morning, she'd wanted to go on her baby, fearing the worst to come out of the trip if they drove in the same car, but somehow he'd managed to get her into his Aztec.  
  
Maybe his blue eyes had done the job... Or the tone of his voice. She shook away the thoughts, and leaned back into her seat. Her legs were stiff from sitting in the same position for a long time, and she felt drowzy from the heat in the car.  
  
"I'm just gonna walk around a little bit, stretch my legs." She said, opening the door. Just then, the cars in front of them started moving. She groaned, knowing that there wouldn't be time to stretch for very long.  
  
~~~~  
  
"What time will they be here?" Charlie asked his wife, who was brushing her hair in the bathroom.  
  
"Half past three." She called back. Concentrating on her reflection again, she carefully untangled her hair. It was a tough job, but she wouldn't have it cut, not even if the stakes were high.  
  
Case was sitting on the bedroom floor, playing with his cars. At times like these, he was just a normal little boy, and she was happy about that.  
  
Finally, she finished brushing her hair and entered the bedroom. Careful not to trip over the toy truck that lay in her way, she made her way over to Charlie, who was searching for a pair of clothes.  
  
Giving him a quick kiss, she slid her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled, returning the kiss.  
  
"Don't wear that red sweater." She said, looking at the clothes he was holding.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It makes you look... I don't know, weird?" She giggled at her very girlish explanation, and shook her head. This was one of the times that she knew that she was human.  
  
Charlie put back his red sweater, grabbing a navy one instead. He held it up for her to observe.  
  
"This better?"  
  
Tinga licked her lips.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She felt very hot. A sweat beat drippled down her forehead, and she wiped it away with the palm of her hand, stepping away from Charlie.  
  
"Did you turn the heat higher?" She asked him, watching as he put on his sweater.  
  
"No why?"  
  
Tinga searched her mind for explanations for the feeling she had. She looked at Charlie's exposed chest.  
  
Then it hit her.  
  
~*~  
  
The humming of the machines around her slowly died away. She sighed in relief.  
  
"How did it go?" The woman she'd come to as Renfro, asked the doctors gathered around her.  
  
"It didn't work." The oldest one said, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"So in a few months, she'll still go into that anomlie issue called 'Heat'?" Renfro looked at the docters with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Yes."  
  
~*~  
  
She gasped, and looked at Charlie, who was checking his reflection in the mirror.  
  
I can't, she thought, not now that Max is coming. Biting her lower lip at the sight of her husband, she shook her head.  
  
"I got to keep strong." She said aloud.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked, turning to face her.  
  
"Nothing." She considered telling him, but decided for the opposite.  
  
Just then, the doorbell rang. Ignoring Charlie's qeustioning looks, she made her way to the stairway. Passing Victor along the way, she couldn't help to let out a sexy smile.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He gave her an odd look.  
  
"Hey to you too, I think your sister's here." Tinga gave herself a mental slap into realitly, and continued her way down the stairs.  
  
Just as the bell rang for the second time she opened the door.  
  
"Hey Max." She hugged Max, who returned the hug.  
  
"Hey Tinga."  
  
Logan stood next to Max, and Tinga looked at him in an observing manner. He felt quite uncomfortable under her stare, but remained calm.  
  
"C'mon in, Charlie and Case will be down in a second."  
  
They walked into the house in silence, and Tinga closed the door behind them with a sigh. This was going to be a long day.  
  
=-=  
  
A/N: Betcha didn't expect THIS to happen huh? 


	10. Gettin' Hot In Herre

Sister Game -She shouldn't have, but she did, and whether you like it or not, you're involved - Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: I hope no one thought I'd abandoned ff.net... Please review this chapter; it will make me a happy girl. I know the title has been used to death, but what can I say, it's the only thing that fit this thing perfectly. And JoJo, yeah I promised to send this to you a lot earlier.. But a writer's block got in my way and. *Blabs*.  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #10 - Gettin' Hot in Herre  
  
A black van drove through the woods in the East of Portland. The driver was a young female, and in the passanger seat behind her she'd buckled up a small baby. The child was sleeping soundly, not noticing the rough terrain they were on.  
  
Jace sighed as she ran a hand through her long black hair. She'd been driving around for hours now, hoping to lose the guys that had been on her tail since the morning. She wasn't one to be scared easily, but these guys had freaked her out. They'd been stronger than her, and that had been enough of a reason to run.  
  
Now she was on her way to Tinga... Or at least, she hoped she was. Rumors came from the group of men, that 656 was in Portland. It was big risk to go there, but, traveling with an infant, she knew she didn't have much of a choice. Tinga had always known what to do.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Max had known something was off the moment Tinga had opened the door. She didn't know whether it was the look on her sister's face when she saw Logan, or the unusual amount of heat radiating from her body.  
  
Her thought-train was interrupted by Case who greeted her with a loud shout.  
  
"Auntie Max!" He came running towards her, and Max kneeled down and opened her arms. The little boy launched himself at her, and she laughed.  
  
Logan watched the scene, and hid the smile that came to his face as Max talked with Case. He'd rarely seen her this way, but when she was with children, a whole other Max came out. It was one of the many things he loved about her.  
  
"I made this for you." Case said, holding up a paper that he'd folded. Max looked at it, and smiled. He'd drawn a bird on it like little children did, but the letters were exceptionally well written.  
  
"That's a bird." He proudly pointed out. Max nodded, and turned to her sister.  
  
"So we gonna hang out in the hall way all day?" She said, smiling at her sister. Tinga laughed, and turned to walk over to the living room, but she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard some one coming down the stairs.  
  
Spinning around, she couldn't help the smile that came to her lips as Charlie entered the hallway. Taking in his every detail, a sigh came from her. As soon as it got out, she mentally slapped herself. This wasn't the time to.  
  
"Hey Charlie." Max said, Tinga's strange behavior not getting by her.  
  
Charlie barely heard what Max said as he focused on his wife. Her eyes were twinkling with mischief, and he suddenly became well aware of every curve in her body. If it wasn't for Case, he knew he would've taken her right there.  
  
"Daddy, aunt Max said Hi." Case said, tugging at his father's shirt. Charlie snapped out of his trance, and turned to look at Max.  
  
"Sorry." He said, shaking his head in confusion.  
  
He turned towards the living room, holding Case's hand as he walked. The rest followed in silence. As they entered the living room, Max was the first to speak up again.  
  
"Hey Victor." She said, looking at the man who was sitting on the couch sipping some hot coffee.  
  
Victor looked up and smiled at her. Tinga moved over to the couch where he sat, and sat down next to him. Her eyes roamed his body. There were a few minutes of awkward silence, until Case piped up,  
  
"It smells weird in here." He sniffed into the air a few times to make his point clear... At least as clear as any young child could.  
  
Max fell silent, and observed her sister closely... And suddenly it all clicked.  
  
"Tinga?"  
  
Tinga shook her head and looked at her sister. From the look she got, she knew Max had figured her out. Groaning, she got up from the couch.  
  
"I'm going to take a cold shower." With that, she left the room in a daze.  
  
Everyone turned to Max in confusion, apart from Case, who was quietly looking at the wall.  
  
"Female Trouble." Was all she said.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
-Hazelwood White's Base-  
  
White glared at the soldier that nervously approached him.  
  
"Mr White... There was a sighting of 656 four days ago."  
  
White sighed in annoyance at the man's cryptical sentence.  
  
"And where would that be?" His tone was icy, and if looks could kill, the soldier wouldn't have been standing there anymore.  
  
"It was on a hover drone camera, a few miles North of the centre, she was with a child and a man. They looked very close." The soldier said, figuring he was better off telling everything.  
  
"Okay... Did the search for 683 and her off spring bring anything up?"  
  
"No... Sir." The soldier spoke his words slowly.  
  
"Then what are you standing here for?!"  
  
Silence fell. The soldier left in a hurry.  
  
White walked over to his desk, and opened the top file. He glared at the paper in it. It was 452's medical file, with her picture above it. The eyes stared at him, frozen.  
  
"I will find you... And when I do, I'll make sure there's nothing left of you to find." He said, closing the file again. He threw it on his desk, and left the office, slamming the door closed behind him.  
  
=-=  
  
A/N: Well THAT took me long enough. Y'know what I'm gonna say: Review, I'll write faster. 


	11. The Clock's Jumpin'

Sister Game -She shouldn't have, but she did, and whether you like it or not, you're involved.- Logan/Hit a sista back  
  
Summary: What if Tinga survived her treatment and was still alive? M/L, T/C, cure for the virus eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.  
  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Radar Love  
  
A/N: Don't throw anything at me, this chapter was a beast to write. I was about to brake down until my beta-reader stepped in and gave me inspiration! Thanks JoJo, for giving me an idea and then beta-reading this very long chapter!  
  
~*~ Means Flashback.  
  
~~~~~~~~ Means scene change.  
  
Chapter #11 - The clock's jumpin'  
  
Jace pressed herself against the wall of the abandoned factory. After all the precautions she'd taken, they'd still caught up with her. And Maxie.  
  
She snapped her head up in a reflex to the footsteps that were closing in on her. The wind that had been howling outside the building was making it nearly impossible to find out where the sounds came from, and this didn't comfort her a bit. For all she knew, they could've found the van, which she'd left her daughter in.  
  
A man's voice came from behind the wall, and she perked up her ears to hear what he was saying.  
  
"Don't underestimate her, she could've gotten help."  
  
"Don't worry sir, we've got it covered."  
  
The rest of the conversation was lost to hear by a loud thunder clap from outside. With a mumbled "Shit!" she made her way up to the stairs, taking them in two's. Her steps were silent, while her eyes searched for a way out.  
  
She usually didn't mind a game of cat and mouse, but that was when she was the cat. Now, all that was left of her was a defenceless little girl. These guys were good, and she didn't want to come to blows with them again.  
  
When she'd reached the second floor, she could see soldiers entering through the doorway. Taking a quick glance at the platform, a string of curses escaped her mouth when she noticed there weren't many places to hide.  
  
"Search the entire facility!" A voice echoed through the building. Jace made sure to stay silent as she moved along the wall. There were some pillars along her path, and if she made the right moves, she could use them to her advantage. From what she had seen from the outside, there were several small windows on the third floor. All she had to do was make it to the other set of stairs.  
  
The booming of footsteps on the stairs made her stop in her tracks for several seconds. She was relieved to hear the troops heading the other way. The next pillar was several meters away, so she braced her legs and ran as fast as she could.  
  
In two seconds she'd reached pillar, and paused to make sure no one had noticed her. When no sounds came from downstairs, she took a deep breath. The stairway was close, and if she made the right decisions, she wouldn't get into a fight reaching them.  
  
Just as she was about to make a mad dash for them, a gun cocked near her ear.  
  
"Stand still 683."  
  
In one swift move, she managed to kick the gun out of his hands. The look on the soldier's face wasn't one of shock, but one of amusement, as she attempted to punch him.  
  
He blocked her hand smoothly, twisting her into the air. Falling onto the floor in an ungraceful heap, she groaned in pain as she felt her arm stinging. When she looked up, the soldier was looking down at her, looking much larger than he was.  
  
This mightily freaked her out, and she used her legs to knock him down. This time it was his turn to bite the dust, as her sudden movement made him hit the floor. She flipped back up, kicking into his face as she did so.  
  
His nose cracked under her heel, and she smirked at the moan that came from his mouth. Before he had a chance to recover from the blow, she punched him on the back of his head, rendering him unconscious. He was definitely going to have a headache when he woke up.  
  
Not like she would be around to see that.  
  
She raced up the stairs, never stopping to look back. Her feet seemed to control her body, as she leaped over the steps. A minute later she was standing in front of a large window. Not waiting to find out if they'd caught up with her, she jumped out of it.  
  
Adrenalin rushed through her body as she gracefully landed on her legs. She jammed her hands into her pockets, grabbing the keys to the van waiting in the bushes.  
  
In a distance she could hear Maxie wailing, and hoped that wouldn't give her position away. When she had finally reached the van, she didn't waste a second to unlock the doors and jammed the keys into the ignition.  
  
The van took several seconds to come to life, and she grit her teeth at the precious time she was losing. Finally, the engine started humming, and she pressed the gas pedal as hard as she could. The van started moving, and soon she was racing past every speed limit.  
  
Gunshots were fired from behind her, and she ignored all the sounds only focused on getting the van away from the building.  
  
She drove for several hours, never stopping to look over her shoulder. This had been away too close a call; she had to reach Portland, fast.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Case held on tight to the chains of the swing, as Max pushed him. He laughed with joy as his legs went up in the air, shouting, "Higher!".  
  
When Max had found out what was wrong with Tinga, she'd offered to go out with everyone for awhile, leaving her with Charlie to... Deal with it. She'd suggested for them to go to one of the only decent parks since the pulse.  
  
So now they found themselves in the midst of trees and playground equipment. Not exactly the idea they'd first had, but it was fun none the less.  
  
Case stopped swinging his legs, slowly skidding to a stop. He jumped off seconds before it hung still, gracefully landing on the grass. Not even bothering to dust off his clothes, he ran towards the slide.  
  
Logan and Max followed him, as he climbed up the metal ladder, waiting for the other kids to slide down. When it was finally his turn, he had a bright smile on his face. They watched from a distance as he slid down, his eyes shining with joy.  
  
When he was on the ground , he ran towards Victor.  
  
"Will you play in he sand-box with me?" He asked, tugging Victor's t-shirt.  
  
Max stiffled a giggle at the look that came onto Victor's face. Still, he followed Case to the sand-box, and soon he was helping him to make sand- cakes with buckets and toy shovels.  
  
"Certainly got a lot of strength for such a little kid." Logan said from behind her, watching Case dump a bucket full of sand in Victor's lap.  
  
"Just hoping he'll deal with it the right way." Max answered, sliding her hands into her pockets.  
  
"I think Tinga will make sure of that."  
  
Max didn't reply, instead she looked at the rest of the play ground. Kids were running around like Mexican jumping beans, acting like the toys wouldn't be there anymore in the next few seconds.  
  
"My mom used to bring me to places like this, said it was good for my social skills. Though I didn't have any idea what they were back then."  
  
Max turned to him, a surprised look on her face. He never spoke much about his family.  
  
He took a deep breath, then continued.  
  
"I was more of a loner, always doing things on my own... She said I needed friends, I said I needed space."  
  
Just when Max was about to answer, Case came running up to them.  
  
"Auntie, there's a woman watching us." He pointed at the trees on the other side of the playground.  
  
Max's head snapped up, and she looked at where he was pointing. Sure enough, there was some one hiding behind the trees. She looked at Logan.  
  
"I'll check it out."  
  
She moved along the sides of the big field, her eyes focused on the figure. When she finally reached the spot, she didn't hesitate a second, grabbing their 'watcher' by the neck, her fist prepared to break bones.  
  
When she was about to hit the face, the person spoke.  
  
"Stop, Maxie... It's me!"  
  
"Jace?"  
  
=-=  
  
A/N: And this is where I leave you all. Reviews, critism or flames, it's all good. 


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